Their flight departure was 20 minutes delayed. Amidst the nauseating news that there was a class-5 tropical cyclone one the way, we pushed ourselves to realise our fast approaching separation.
It was a flurry of humankind at the airport. Passengers were mostly from an Indian descent. Everywhere I look - front, side, back, I see them. A sea of steaming, chatting, oozing pile of hygienically-challenged humanity!
Anyway, we reached the airport a little past 11 PM. As mentioned, the queue was horrible and we have to use both wit and diplomacy with the idiots standing in line to move up front of the queue. Actually, we just used foul language and tantrum fits, which basically works just the same.
Sneaking past the check-in counter we we're cornered by an acquaintance, pleading earnestly that we take this gym bag because they have already gone excess the allowable carrying weight. How the Filipinos even manage to live successfully abroad, I'll never know.
Here's the typical story of how it is every time Juan dela Cruz goes home:
- two week before flight: shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- one-week before flight: shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- 3 days before flight: asks friends, colleagues for a loan, then goes shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- 2 days before flight: Throw a despidida party grander than your grandma's 80th birthday celebration...
- 1 day before flight: continuation of the despidida party for those unfortunate ones who didn't make last night's celebrations.
- 12 hours before flight: Frantically cramming all pasalubongs into balik-bayan boxes...
- 8 hours before flight: Procrastinate about not getting enough balik-bayan boxes to cram pasalubongs with...
- 6 hours before flight: realized that he's packed more than the allowable carrying weight... unpacking, then re-packing, finally ending up giving away non-essentials, like 6 boxes of toothpaste, 15 bars of soap, 2 kg of powdered milk, 13 cans of "carne norte", 12 tins of Spam, 2 liters of cooking oil, 7 packs of Marlboro Reds/100's, 5 pieces of Nivea Cream, and finally a bottle of Pantene 500 ml shampoo with conditioner.
I think the iconic balik-bayan anthem of bringing pasalubongs has been ingrained to our psyche. I dont know, maybe it's been around because of our fickle colonial mentally, damn you colonial masters!!!
Moving on to my story... Around 12:37 AM, the annunciator blasted that they have to come to the gates, so I walked my family to the departure area, holding back my emotions like a highschool sorrority inductee. I did manage not to cry infront of my family that time. I wouldn't recommend it though because I've downed at least 4 glassess of water later to calm myself.
I promised to wait until their plane takes off so I went out of the pre-departure hold. I met up with my sister and her husband, whose offered their undying support for this event.
At around 12:53 AM the lightboards suddenly changed the status from last call to DELAYED. My wife called and confirmed the news. I can detect a slight anxiety with her tone, it's clear that she's getting cold feet because of the brewing storm. She's never openly admitted it, but she really hated flying...
I was telling her that the delay is typically their MO, since the airline has a superfluous record for most number of delayed flights. They've agreed to stick it out and see through it. Meanwhile, my sister and brother-in-law and myself entertained ourselves with our favorite pastime - "Distort and Retort".... for details on how to play this fun and exciting game, you would have to watch out for my next entry...
It was a flurry of humankind at the airport. Passengers were mostly from an Indian descent. Everywhere I look - front, side, back, I see them. A sea of steaming, chatting, oozing pile of hygienically-challenged humanity!
Anyway, we reached the airport a little past 11 PM. As mentioned, the queue was horrible and we have to use both wit and diplomacy with the idiots standing in line to move up front of the queue. Actually, we just used foul language and tantrum fits, which basically works just the same.
Sneaking past the check-in counter we we're cornered by an acquaintance, pleading earnestly that we take this gym bag because they have already gone excess the allowable carrying weight. How the Filipinos even manage to live successfully abroad, I'll never know.
Here's the typical story of how it is every time Juan dela Cruz goes home:
- two week before flight: shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- one-week before flight: shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- 3 days before flight: asks friends, colleagues for a loan, then goes shopping galore for pasalubongs...
- 2 days before flight: Throw a despidida party grander than your grandma's 80th birthday celebration...
- 1 day before flight: continuation of the despidida party for those unfortunate ones who didn't make last night's celebrations.
- 12 hours before flight: Frantically cramming all pasalubongs into balik-bayan boxes...
- 8 hours before flight: Procrastinate about not getting enough balik-bayan boxes to cram pasalubongs with...
- 6 hours before flight: realized that he's packed more than the allowable carrying weight... unpacking, then re-packing, finally ending up giving away non-essentials, like 6 boxes of toothpaste, 15 bars of soap, 2 kg of powdered milk, 13 cans of "carne norte", 12 tins of Spam, 2 liters of cooking oil, 7 packs of Marlboro Reds/100's, 5 pieces of Nivea Cream, and finally a bottle of Pantene 500 ml shampoo with conditioner.
I think the iconic balik-bayan anthem of bringing pasalubongs has been ingrained to our psyche. I dont know, maybe it's been around because of our fickle colonial mentally, damn you colonial masters!!!
Moving on to my story... Around 12:37 AM, the annunciator blasted that they have to come to the gates, so I walked my family to the departure area, holding back my emotions like a highschool sorrority inductee. I did manage not to cry infront of my family that time. I wouldn't recommend it though because I've downed at least 4 glassess of water later to calm myself.
I promised to wait until their plane takes off so I went out of the pre-departure hold. I met up with my sister and her husband, whose offered their undying support for this event.
At around 12:53 AM the lightboards suddenly changed the status from last call to DELAYED. My wife called and confirmed the news. I can detect a slight anxiety with her tone, it's clear that she's getting cold feet because of the brewing storm. She's never openly admitted it, but she really hated flying...
I was telling her that the delay is typically their MO, since the airline has a superfluous record for most number of delayed flights. They've agreed to stick it out and see through it. Meanwhile, my sister and brother-in-law and myself entertained ourselves with our favorite pastime - "Distort and Retort".... for details on how to play this fun and exciting game, you would have to watch out for my next entry...
At around 1:03 AM, my wife called again and told me that they are now being ushered to the aircraft and that she'll be turning-off her mobile shortly after our conversation.
OMG, everything is coming back to me like a heart attack. I was powerless to do anything except to concede with her obviously melancholy good-byes and farewells...
After the call, I finally decided that we should start our way back home. Lugging a big emptiness in me, I desperately fought off any urge to express my girly emotions...
It must have been the longest 20 minute drive home....
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